News

Trade Department Boosts Cream Dory Industry

30 March 2012

PHILIPPINES - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is pushing for the development of the cream dory or Pangasius fish industry in the country because of its high market demand to local and foreign restaurants particularly in Europe.

Cream dory is locally known as “kanduling itim” and is a relative of the hito and the kanduli. But whereas the kanduli is silver, the cream dory is silver and black, reports ManilaBulletin.

The DTI here said the Trade Department has launched various programmes to boost the industry in Regions 3,4A,5,10,12 and 13 through the conduct of business opportunity seminars, consultancy services, and business matching referrals.

Areas in Central Luzon where it is being cultured now include the towns of Sta. Maria, San Ildefonso, and Bocaue in Bulacan; Apalit, Arayat, Sta. Ana, and Guagua in Pampanga; Maria Aurora and Baler in Aurora; Victoria and Paniqui in Tarlac; San Narciso in Zambales; the cities of Gapan and Muñoz in Nueva Ecija and Balanga in Bataan.

“The Philippines currently imports approximately 600 metric tons of fillets per month. If we could substitute this importation by producing our own via the Pangasius, P650 million worth of investments and P945 million in sales will be generated and 2,700 jobs will be created come 2016,” said DTI Central Luzon Regional Pangasius industry manager Zorina Aldana.

“Our Pangasius has global potential as a number of European restaurants find it more appealing than our Asian counterparts because it has 95 percent lean meat and is free from chemicals and antibiotics as attested by various international testing laboratories,” Aldana added. (Mark Anthony N. Manuel)